Springfield daily republic. [volume] (Springfield, O. [Ohio]) 1887-1888, 1887-12-27
LINCOLN'S EARLY LIFE.
COL. JOHN G. NICOLAY GIVES A LET.
TER WRITER SOME POINTS.

How Uncle Abe" bore Himss II During
the Great Campaign Of ls6O-His Pub
lic Receptions at the White House In
War Times
Young Nicolny at II was thrown on his
OWN strength and skill for living. He
ser, ed u year in a country store at 81
month, then secured ths o,sition Of dia-
bolical adjunct in n pri'. ling Office. He
went first Ia the broom, tncn Ia the roller,
then to the case. then to the desk, and
beginning ~ devil became editor and
proprietor. Afterward, while reading
law, he became clerk in the office of the
secretary Of state of Illinois, and there, in
1857, among the politicians and story
tellers gathered around the roaring log
fire, he first made the acquaintance Of
Abraham Lincoln. There, too, without
a suspicion Of I.incoln's coming fame, he
began that very year In make scrap books
containing an authentic record OF the
growth Of events of which the tall, gaunt,
popular lawyer was soon TO be the central
figure. Col. Nicolay took from a shelf
and showed me some Of these thirty yea.
old scrap books, which he now finds iIidis-
pensable. '.Hay and I made collections
for scrap books. also," said he, ''all the
time that we were in the White House" :"
and he produced one of these marked
upon the back Vol. XXXVIII."
"The first time | saw Mr.. Lincoln"
said Mr.. Nicolay, WAS in Pittsiield, Ills,
where l was editing q paper in 1856.
There WAS to be u campaign rally there,
and Lincoln and Trumbull met on the
sidewalk and embraced each other warm.
ly. why, Trumbull, you here' said
Lincoln. Why. Lincoln, you here,' re-
sponded the senator. for the fact that they
were to speak for Fremont that night to-
gether was unknown to both. After
ward, around the stove in tho Office of
the secretary OF state. where l was a clerk
for four years. Lincoln was a familiar
presence and always the center of the
group"
How came you to be the presidents
secretary asked
Il was at the Chicago convention,
said Col. Nicolay, land whea Lircoln was
nominated I was ambitious to write his
campaign biography. | WAS greatly dis
appointed when | failed to get the job and
1t was given TO a young fellow from Ohio,
one ". u, Howelis, whom | had never
before heard Of. We have all heard Of
him since. was'regretting my bad luck
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